Surround yourself with a bit of greenery

Winter is now in full swing.  Personally, as temperatures drop, so does my motivation to do basically anything outside. 

Walking back and forth from class is plenty of exercise, right? Anyway, even if you can summon the motivation to take a short walk outside, there are no leafy trees or vibrant green plants waiting to greet you. Naked trees are interesting, but once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen almost all of them. 

That dead grey and dying brown shade of grass and leaves, even speckled with snow, gets old. Without that green pop, the outside is so much less appealing. 

So, what is the solution? How can you get the beauty of summer green in the comfort of your own dorm? 

Well, my friend, the answer is houseplants. Bring a little of the outdoors inside with a nice leafy, green houseplant. It is less work than a dog, or even a fish. There are no special tools or tanks required and you don’t need to get certified or sign papers to have a comfort plant in the dorm. 

In an article for Psychology Today, Sally Augustin, a practicing environmental psychologist, wrote about some of the benefits of indoor plants. Seeing leafy green plants around can boost your mood and encourage positive social interaction. 

So, if you and your roommate are having problems, consider getting a plant or two to encourage domestic bliss. 

Plants can reduce stress and refresh tired brains. Think how nice it would be to look up and, instead of seeing a cluttered calendar or to-do list, you see a nice happy little plant. Easily visible, leafy green plants also increase creativity and could help you come up with ideas for a forum or give you inspiration for a paper. 

If you do a lot of work in your dorm, consider adding a plant to your décor. If you can’t find or afford a plant right now, consider adding it to your Christmas list. Plants would, after all increase your productivity and help you focus on that paper or test coming up.

Also, if you study out of your room, consider stopping in a studying nook that already has potted plants. 

I know that there are plants in Burkhiser, Old Admin, and Reta E. King library. The public library also has an impressive array of plant life and several places to sit and work.

Finally, don’t let the fear of a black thumb keep you from adopting a plant. There are many varieties of plants that are almost un-killable and can survive in even
hostile conditions. 

A good house plant not only adds to your décor, but also promotes to a stress free environment for years to come.